Jay’s Story

Written by Christina Grant

Jayda was born in Gainesville, Florida and grew up the third sibling of three brothers, Anthony Jr, Preston, and Makai.

She cultivated a special relationship with each one of them. We came to describe her as the “big sister” because of her maturity and the protective instincts she had. Being the only girl, she tended to explore whatever her brothers chose to do; playing flag football, softball, basketball, and running track. She also cultivated a love for reading, writing, learning, and supporting causes that were important to her. Her beautiful light was also seen in her radiant smile, creativity, and compassion for people, nature, and animals. She had a big heart and cared for those who were hurting and displaced.

We moved quite a bit when Jayda was young, but sports helped her to find community and her peer support. Upon moving to Dayton in the fall of 2017, Jayda continued to cultivate her love of track. She was proud to be a part of Chaminade Juliene’s track team during her junior and senior years of high school. She developed a quiet, toughness that was displayed whenever she competed and she excelled in multiple races for her team. Her signature events were the open 400m and 4x400m. Jay also excelled in the classroom throughout junior and senior highschool, often making the Honor Roll and Dean’s List. Unfortunately, she suffered a knee injury during her senior year, which prevented her from competing in the 2019 State track competitions with her team. Despite her injury she continued to support her teammates and cherish the bond they had. When Jay wasn’t running, she liked going on hikes, spending time with her friends, family, and her three dogs, Rocky, Laila, & Star. She adored her dogs and they loved her to the moon.

Upon graduating from CJ in 2019, Jay joined her brother, Preston, at the University of Dayton and settled into college life. She joined the UD track team as a walk-on and spent her time studying, rehabbing her knee, and getting acquainted with her new teammates and friends. Her plan was to get healthy enough to compete as a 2nd year student-athlete in the Fall of 2021.

The Covid pandemic of 2020 brought everything to a screeching stop. The University was required to shut down for an undermined time period and we were all forced into isolation, wondering what our lives would look like for the foreseeable future. Jay was always quiet and reserved by nature and the pandemic magnified those qualities in her. Over the course of the next 18 months, things would spiral in ways we were unprepared for and could not envision.

We would come to learn that the circumstances that our daughter was faced with from the spring semester of 2020 to her untimely death, significantly contributed to what we now call, the perfect storm for mental illness. She sought the help of counselors and doctors for several months, but she continued to appear extremely depressed and unhappy.  We watched our daughter’s confidence, personality, and behavior change steadily and drastically; and we didn't know how to help her. 

In the Spring of 2022, Jay painfully told us that she no longer wanted to live, and that she had tried to take her life the night before.  She was admitted into hospital where she was treated for depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations. Despite on-going counseling, her mental health continued to decline over the next several weeks, tragically leading to her taking her life on May 30, 2022.  This reality is so very hard to accept at times. We miss her dearly. Our lives are forever changed.

We know that her story is not unlike so many other families and young people who have been faced with and are still facing difficult and unimageable situations.  We want to share part of her story and bring some purpose to our pain by encouraging others to persevere in finding the help they need. It’s our belief that this can be achieved  by:

1) eliminating the stigma around mental health,
2) helping people become more aware of what mental illness is and recognizing the signs, and
3) helping to expand early access to mental health services. 

Throughout our daughter’s journey, she continued to express a desire to “help people” in some way, and this is our reason for creating Jay’s Light.  We want to keep her light shining bright by helping people who are impacted by mental illness to experience hope.  

Her Light Seen By Friends

“I feel like Jayda’s greatest gift was her positivity or hardworking.  She always pushed us on the track to do better and she was always smiling and laughing and just had a positive energy to her.”

Jazmyn P

“I think Jayda’s greatest gift is her kindness and that is how her light shines in all of us.”

Kelsey D

“Jayda had a beautiful and generous heart, she made everyone feel like they belonged and brought people together with her sweet and caring personality.”

Cayley K

“Jay was a really great friend to me in so many different ways. I was always able to be my inner child when Jay was around as Jay was able to take the most “serious” environment and make it fun and enjoyable. Jay’s presence and compassion for others lit up a room. I am forever grateful to have known such a great friend and an even greater human being.”

Joseph B

In Her Own Words:

“I was kind of shy as a kid, and I still am kind of quiet, but I am learning how to put myself out there more.  I would say that this would be my biggest weakness.  My strengths are my compassion, empathy, and insight, all things my mom says I get from my dad.

Over the next 10 years I hope to change and become the best version of myself.  Hopefully I’ll be doing whatever makes me happy whether that be still running track or working at a real job.  Most importantly though I hope I am happy with myself and not as introverted.  I hope to also be able to voice my opinions better and express myself more.”

“A quote that best explains what I believe is a quote by Mother Theresa: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” This quote reminds me that we are all children of God and we are called to love each other. We are all created in God’s image and when we forget that, that is when people start to believe that they are better than some and we lose that peace. I hope one day the world will be able to put aside all of its differences and see that we are all one in the same, called to love each other unconditionally.”

  • Excerpts from This I Believe Essay, written by Jayda, 2018